


5 Steps to Losing Your Heart (And Stealing Someone Else's)

by IAmStoryteller



Series: Never Practical [2]
Category: Batman and Robin, Shazam (Comics), Teen Titans
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-29
Updated: 2014-08-29
Packaged: 2018-02-15 06:36:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2219517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IAmStoryteller/pseuds/IAmStoryteller
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Babysitting the Batfamily’s third generation, bonded Billy and Damian as friends, except when it was not so much being friends….</p>
            </blockquote>





	5 Steps to Losing Your Heart (And Stealing Someone Else's)

**Author's Note:**

> Read Meeting Grandpa, because it is set in the same universe.

1.

The Titans Tower was quiet for once, save for the sound of the television playing Sofia the First. Nine year old Fan was sitting in front of the television giggling. Three year old littler terror Mari was passed out on the couch, taking a nap. Year old Joss was currently preoccupied with giggling at the funny faces that Billy was making to amuse her.

Damian, fourteen years old, had somehow gotten stuck babysitting all of his nieces. Thankfully, Billy had spring break this week and agreed to help. Damian was tired. He loved his nieces, but they were so much work. He understood that Cassandra, Stephanie, Jason, Bette, Dick and Kory needed time to rest, but he was not an on-call babysitter.

“I can feel you brooding, Damian,” said Billy. The nineteen year old had a strange sense of humor, Damian found that he liked it, and he was a nice guy. He claimed that he could be a jerk when he wanted to be, but Damian doubted it. “Just think that you’ll be their favorite uncle.” 

“Pretty sure they are taking advantage of me,” said Damian, scowling, leaning into the couch. Billy faced Joss toward Damian. Joss was amused by mostly everything. She smiled at Damian. Damian’s heart melted a little (a lot).

“Oh, but Uncle Dami, I love you the bestest. Uncle Tim has nothing on you~” said Billy, in a falsetto-tone. Joss giggled, as Billy kissed her head. Damian quirked a smile. Billy beamed a smile, blue eyes shining, at Damian.

“But of course,” said Damian, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling in his stomach when Billy smiled at him. “I am the best.”

2.

Damian grumbled. He was frustrated. How did he get himself involved with all this craziness? His brothers were no help, laughing at his plight. His sister too. So, he went to Billy’s dorm at UCLA. Billy was someone he gotten along with for the past three years. Damian was sixteen now, but he looked like an adult, so no one stopped him. Billy was sitting at his desk studying when Damian entered. No one really locked their doors in the dorm, if they were in the room.

“Hey, Damian, what’s wrong,” asked Billy.

“Why are girls insane? Nell is freaking out over nothing. Lyla’s pissed at me for something insulting I said. Milagro and Lian keep trying to kiss me over some stupid bet. Then there are the girls at school. I am not some trophy,” said Damian, all in one breath. Billy looked at him.

“Nell does not freak out over nothing. You probably did insult Lyla, you know she’s secretly sensitive. Milagro and Lian just want to see you blush. The girls at school just see you for your name and you should ignore them,” said Billy, in response. “Boys tend not to be good at handling girls. When I was sixteen, I had similar issues…Mary and Darla don’t count because they’re my sisters, even though they are batty. Patience, Damian.”

“Are Joss, Mari, and Fan going to be like that when they are older,” asked Damian.

Billy laughed. “Probably, maybe, don’t know. We have to wait and see. But by then you’ll be a skilled person at handling the opposite sex.”

Damian groaned. “Nell thinks I’m cheating on her with Lyla or Milagro or Lian or all of them.”

“You are fond of Nell, I know. You would never do that to her,” said Billy, thoughtfully. “Unless she feels that you have stronger affections for another that would be the only way you could “cheat” on her. Did you give her any reason to think that?”

Damian blankly stared at him. “I don’t think so.”

“Think about it and then, grovel to Nell, buy her whatever she likes,” said Billy, smiling. “Now, get out, Damian, I have a test tomorrow.” Damian sighed. He left Billy to his studies.

Did a hopeless crush on the world’s nicest guy count?

3.

His three year old niece Joss was antsy, so he had to take her for a walk outside. She was an outside child, like Mari and Fan. She smiled at everyone who passed. People cooed about the seventeen year old son of Bruce Wayne, Damian Wayne babysitting a cute baby girl. He was going to be on the society page tomorrow. Bette was going to flip.

He pushed the stroller along the shopping center of Jump City.

“Dami,” cheered Joss. Sometimes she just said his name for fun. “Billy!!!” Damian’s head whipped over to where Joss was reaching. Billy was sitting at a table of an outdoor restaurant. He wasn’t alone. There was a pretty strawberry blonde haired and blue eyed model-like woman around Billy’s age. “Billy!!” Now, Joss was screaming for her favorite person other than her Mom, Dad, Grandpa or Dami to come over to her. Billy must have heard, because he stood up, apologized to his date and hopped the barrier to the sidewalk.

“Joss, my little princess,” said Billy, making a big deal. He called Joss his princess, Mari his angel, and Fan his ballerina (Fan loved ballet). He leaned down and kissed her. She giggled. Up close, he hadn’t shaved for a couple of days, but he looked quite dashing. “Hey, Damian, I thought I heard Joss screaming for me.”

“Yeah, she wanted to go outside,” said Damian, shrugging. It didn’t bother him. It really didn’t. Billy was allowed to date. “Won’t your date mind?”

Billy raised a quizzical eyebrow. “Date? Oh, you mean Cissie. No, Cissie’s an old girlfriend, but it’s not a date. She’s going back to Italy tonight, anyway. Lunch is almost done anyway. We can join you for the walk. It’ll be fun.” Before Damian could protest, Billy went back over to Cissie, spoke animatedly to her and she nodded.

Soon, Billy, Damian and Cissie Summerly were walking through Jump Park. Cissie rolled her eyes at Billy with Joss.

“He’s always been good with babies,” said Cissie. “Back at the orphanage, all the younger kids attached themselves to Billy to protect and care for them.” She told that to Damian. “Be careful, Billy, she may want to marry you when she’s older.” Billy just laughed.

“Her father would kill me,” said Billy. Jason would.

“It never surprises me to find that you know so many different people, Billy,” said Cissie. Billy laughed, this time a little nervously. Damian knew from past conversations—Cissie knew that Billy was a superhero, but he had refused to confirm her suspicions. It was what broke them up in the first place.

“Well, he’s a very likeable person,” said Damian. Billy was a terrible liar, admirable, but useless under pressure. Cissie gave a shiny smile at Damian. 

Damian did not like that look she was giving him. He just stared at her.

“Well, it was nice seeing you all, but I have to get to the airport,” said Cissie, looking at her watch, quickly. She hugged Billy tightly. Damian felt his body get tense, feeling awkward being there watching. “I’ll see you around, handsome.”

“Cissie, have safe travels,” said Billy. “Text me when you land in Italy.” Their hug ended. Cissie nodded.

Once she was gone, Damian relaxed.

“Mary thinks she and I should have got married,” said Billy, kneeling by the stroller to coo at Joss.

“Oh?”

“Being who I am…well, I’ll probably be alone for the rest of my life,” said Billy, ruefully. Damian rolled his eyes.

Then, stupidly responded, “You have me…” He saved that statement from meaning more by adding, “And the girls.” Billy smiled at him.

“Thank you.”

Damian’s heart sped up.

4.

“You do not care for me anymore,” asked Damian, confused. Nell, his girlfriend of nearly three years, just broke up with him. Nell was beautiful black woman, curly black hair, big brown eyes, strong body, and an excellent crime-fighting partner. Nell huffed.

“Of course, I still love you, but I just want to be friends,” said Nell. “I still want to fight crime with you too. Just…I don’t want to be called your girlfriend anymore…because in truth, we haven’t really been together in a year. A year! You haven’t touched me in that long. Or kissed me.”

Damian sighed. He knew she was right. “Nell, I am sorry that I hurt you.”

“My fault. I should have realized it sooner that you’re in love with someone else,” she said. Damian face flushed and he glared at her.

“W-w-what,” asked Damian.

“Really? Do you know how much you spend talking about a certain blue eyed black haired god? Because you have it bad for him,” said Nell, teasing.

Damian glared at her still. “A hopeless attraction, Nell Jones.”

“Hopeless attraction, my behind! Well, Damian Wayne, you are officially eighteen and no longer jail bait,” said Nell. “And according to my sources, Billy hasn’t dated anyone since he was seventeen. You have a shot!” Nell was a rather open-minded person. Damian shook his head.

“He’s straight,” said Damian.

“Are you sure,” asked Nell, raising an eyebrow.

Damian blankly stared at her. “No, I can’t be.”

“Love knows no boundaries.”

5.

Damian felt secure in his friendship with Billy, because Nell was right. He couldn’t be sure if Billy was bisexual or not. Billy rarely talked about attractions to other people. He may comment on the cuteness of the girls, but other than that, Billy was mute on the subject.

So when Billy and Damian one weekend, two months after Nell broke up with him, were supposed to babysit Joss while Jason and Bette had the weekend to themselves, the plans fell through when Jason was called to Gotham to aid Bruce, since Damian had to be stationed at the Titans Tower to monitor the area. That meant a last minute cancellation left Damian and Billy watching old black-and-white movies from the 1950s.

All alone.

Since the rest of the Titans had other things to do in their own cities or with their families, and Damian’s teammates all had schoolwork to do (mostly catch up).

Damian felt like this was a date. Almost. At least on his part. 

“I love these,” said Billy, after they watched Casablanca. “Different time, different world it seemed.”

“I don’t usually watch movies,” said Damian.

“I know. Which is why I like spending time with you,” said Billy, grinning, “you need me to educate you in the finer points of old movies and make sure you aren’t always so serious.” He was teasing.

Damian then did something stupid and blurted out, “I love you.”

6.

Billy didn’t react fast enough because Damian bolted out of the living room. Taking a moment to process what Damian just said, Billy bolted after him. Damian was faster, but Billy had years of running from bullies and running into dangerous situations to get a story for his blogger gig. He watched Damian enter his room and promptly locked it.

The twenty-three year old hero sighed. He banged on the door. “Open the door, Damian Wayne! Now! You don’t run away me from me. You never have to.” Damian didn’t respond. “Damian, I always knew that you were in love with me.”

The door slid open faster than lightning. Damian looked at Billy, incredulously. 

Billy looked bashful, ran his hand through his hair. “What was I supposed to do? You were sixteen. I was twenty-one. Your father would have murdered me. I was waiting until I thought it would be appropriate before I asked you out.”

“What does that mean,” asked Damian, unsure.

Billy scratched his cheek, blushing. “Well, I love you too.”


End file.
